Improved still



Wire.

'trat HENRY GRGGAN, OF FLA'IBUSH, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 94,409, dated August 31, 1869.

IMPROVED STILL.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part cf the same.

'will cnablethose skilled in thc art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part oi' this specification, which drawing represents a sectional side elevation of this invention.

This invention relates to a still, which is intended.

particularly for distilling petroleum, or other liquids of a similar nature. The liquid in the still is heated by super-heated steam, or heated air, passing through a heater secured in the interior ot' the still, in addition to the tire which acts on the external surface of said still, in such a ,manner that, by the heat of the snperheated steam or hot air, the light constituents of theliquid to be distilled are driven out, andthe coking ot'the heavy liquids is prevented.

The vapors emanating from the still pass through one more condensers, and they discharge, in a partially-condensed state, into a distillate-separator, from which emalates a pipe to carry off the light vapors through ai. additional condenser, while a Siphon-pipe serves to carry ott' the liquid resulting from the condensation of the heavy vapors, through an additional condenser or cooler, into the receiving-tank.

The discharge of the light vapors from the distillatereceiver is facilitated by a jet of steam injected into the discharge-pipe, and the vapors which are still uneondensed after having passed through the additional condenser', are separated from the liquid by the suction of the overiiow of the water, which serves to cool the condensing-coil.

The letter A designates the still, within which I suspend, by chains or rods B, a steam-heater, (l, at such an elevation in the still as to be immersed in the charge or body of oil to be acted upon.

The heater is supplied with steam through the steam-supply pipe l), and the steam is discharged therefrom through the pipe E, which, after passing beyond the wall ofthe still, is carried upward int-o a hot-water condenser, Gr, through which the gooseneck` of' the still is conducted on its wa'y to the condenser H.

'lhe steam-pipe E is provided, at its lowest point, with a water-cock and pipe, F, in the usual manner, for the purpose ot' blowing oti the water of condensation therefrom.

The hot-water condenser G is supplied with water in any suitable manner, and the water is warmed or heated by means of tbe steam discharged from the discharge or exhaust-pipe E, the vapor or steam from the hot-water condenser or drum G heilig conducted thence through the exhaust-pipe I to the condenser H, where its open end is immersed in the wat-er contained in the tank of that condenser, and a constant circulation or flow of the exhaust steam through the pipes E and I is maintained.

The condenser H is made in any usual or suitable manner, and the oil and uncondensed vapors are discharged therefrom through the pipe K, which is made in whole or in part of transparent material, so that the condition of the oil discharged through it can be seen by the attendant.

From the pipe K the oil and uncondensed vapors pass into a vessel, which I call a distillate-separator or receiver, L, into which, at or near its bottom, I introduce a steam-pipe, M,Vfor the purpose of heating its contents to the temperature of'about 150o Fahrenheit, the temperature being indicated by an indicating-apparatus or gauge, N, arranged in the side of' the separator.

The heavier oils or matters which are collected in the separator L are conducted thence through a siphon-pipe, O, which enters the side of the separator near its top, and is carried downward therein toward its bottom, its open end terminatiiig at a suitable height'above the bottom.

The outer and longer leg of the Siphon-pipe O, outside of the separator, is connected with the worm of a condenser or cooler, I), and, after passing through the same, the oils or liquids which are thus obtained from the separator are discharged into a receiving-tank, Q.

The uncondensed vapors which are collected in the separator L are discharged or drawn oii therefrom by means of a pipe, It, going out of the top ofthe separator, and leading into the worm of the condenser S, the discharge of such vapors being facilitated by means of a jet of steam' injected into the pipe R from a steampipe, T, so as to produce a partial vacuum in the pipe l, at or near the top of the separator.

rlhe condenser S issuaplied with cold water through a supply-pipe, U am its overfiow is discharged from the tank of the condenser through a vertical pipe, V, set in said tank, whose mouth is a little below the top of said tank.

The lower end of the worm of the condenser S is connected, after it passes out ofthe condenser, with a bent pipe, W, which conducts the liquids discharged from the worm into a receiving-tank, X, the uncondensed vapors that pass from the worm being drawn away'from pipe W into the connecting-pipe Y, which rises therefrom, as shown in the drawing, and is carried to thetop of the condenser, where itis bent down and passed down into the overflow-pipe V a suflicient distance to allow its open end to be immersed in the volume of the overiiow-water that runs through said pipe Y, whereby a partial vacuum is created in the pipe Y, and the said uncondensed vapors are sucked or drawn into and through it, and iinally carried ofi with the overflow-water.

The steam-drum o1' heater C, within the still, enables me to vaporize and drive oi the lighter constituents of the charge, and thereby facilitate the evaporization ofthe heavier parts, and lessen or prevent the burning or coking thereot' by the action ofthe fire.

rlhe recondcnsation of the vau'iorsnvhich pass otf from the still in such amanner as to obtain the liquids of heavier' gravity in a separate state from the lighter liquids, is facilitated by means of my hot-water condenser G, the temperature of which will be always lower than that proceeding from the re of the furnace or from the heater C, since its heat is obtained from the exhaust steam coming through the dischargepipe E. Jhe vapors that come oiffromthe still through the gooseneck, are subjected tothe cndensingacton ofthe warm contents of the condensing-druml G, and a portion of lhe heavier vapors are thereby con'densed into a liquid before they can reach the condenser H.

The separation of the oils of dii'erent gravities is further facilitated and eifectedby means ofthe subsequent stages ofmy process, and the devices employed by me therein, among .which is the vessel which I call t-he distillate-separator, whence the condensed liquids are drawn ofi through the siphon O, the operation ot' said siphon being automatic, since, Whenever the liquid in the separator rises above the level of the top of the pipe, as indicated by the line a', the liquid will rise in the pipe O to the top thereof', and the liquid will consequently begin to flow through the pipe down to the condenser or cooler P, and, as the longer leg of the Siphon is outside of the separator, the flow, once established, will be maintained so long as the mouth of the -t-ers Patent, is-

1. The hot-water condenser G, in combination with the suspended drum C, pipe E, and the gooseneck of the still, whereby the water in said condenser is heated by means of the steam discharged from the drum, substantially-as and for the purpose described.

2. The distillate-separator L, combined, substantially as described, with a siphon for discharging the liquids therefrom, and also combined with a vapordischarge pipe, R, operating in conjunction with a steam-jet,"l, substantially as above set forth and described.

3. The combination, with a condenser, of an overflow-pipe, V, for carrying off the surplus water from the tank ofthe condenser, and a vapor-discharge pipe, Y, whose discharge-end isinserted in the mouth ofthe overflow-pipe V, substantially as and for the purposes above described HENRY GROGAN.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

